Squats are one of the greatest exercises you can incorporate into your workout routine. With the addition of squats, you will see and feel an improvement in stability, strength, power, and flexibility. The benefits to squatting are numerous, and below are 5 reasons to add the squat into your exercise regimen.
Total Body Strength: When you squat, you are using your upper body to stabilize the weight being used. The muscles in the shoulders, arms, back, and abs are working synergistically when executing the movement. Squatting helps with stability/stabilization, developing strength, and improving cardiovascular endurance.
Joint Health: When performing a squat, blood flow is increased to the hips and knees. Blood brings oxygen to the hip and knee joints, supporting healthy joint tissues. The joint tissues secrete synovial fluid, which is a thick liquid that lubricates the joints. With consistent movement, the joints become supple. Supple joints translate to healthier joints throughout the course of your life.
Build The Legs And Butt:Build The Legs And Butt: Squats target the glutes (booty), hamstrings (back upper thigh), and quadriceps (front upper thigh) in a single movement. When performing a squat properly, the quads, hamstrings, hip flexors, adductors, abdominals and lower back are activated. The muscle around the hips help stabilize the pelvis and knees, which supports one’s ability to target their glutes.
Core Strength: When performing a squat, the core muscles are actively engaged. Having a strong core helps improve balance and stability. Having a strong core also helps support the muscles in the low back which helps reduce the risk of injury in a variety of exercises.
Burn Fat: The lower body contains our largest muscles. These muscles are involved in almost every movement we make. Strength training helps build muscle. The more muscle you build, the higher your metabolic rate. In other words, the more muscle you have, the more calories you burn…even at rest.